Elevator safety appliance



Sept. 25, 1928.

1,685,232 F. HYMANS ELEVATOR SAFETY APPLIANCE Filed Sept. 50, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,232

F. HYMANS ELEVATOR SAFETY APPLIANCE Filed Sept. 30, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet2 FIG. 5

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Patented Sept. 25, 192 v,

UNI ED STATES PATENT ormcE.

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ELEVATOR SAFETY APPLIANCE.

Application filed September 80, 1928. Serial 1T0. 188,704.

The invention relates to safety appliances and particularly to safetyapphances for elevators.

One feature of the invention is to provlde means for operating a safetyappliance 1n the event thata hoisting rope supporting a movable body,such as an elevator car or counterweight, stretches unduly.

Another feature of the invention hes in the provision of means foroperating a safety appliance in the event of the breakage of one or moreof a plurality of ho1st1ng ropes.

Another feature of the inventlon hes 1n causing the application of asafety brake to stop the ear upon failure ofany one of a pluv ra lity ofhoistin ropes.

Still another eature is the provision of 4 meansof the above characterwhich is of wherein the invention is embodied in concretesimple'construction and reliable in operation.

Other features and advantages will become apparent from thespecification, taken 1n connection with the accompanying drawlngs form.

In the drawings z--- Figure 1 is a schematicrepresentatmn of a typicalelevator system lllustratlng the 1nvention;

Figure 2 is a schematlc vlew'taken along line 22 of Figure 1 illustratmgone .form

' of safety brake that may be employed in carrying out the invention; 0

Figure 3 is an enlarged v ew taken along the hne 33 of Figure 1 wlthparts broken away; i I I r Figure dis a view 1n part sectlon taken alongline 4-4 of Figure 3 Figure 5 is an enlarged view 1n part section takenalongline 5-5 of Figure 3; and Fi ure 6 is a' view, similar to Flgure5,- showmg a greater number of hoisting ropes.-

Referring to Figure 1, the elevator car 1s designated by the numeral 1while the counterweight is designated by the numeral 2. The hoistingropes connect thecar and counterweight and pass over the hoisting drum 4at the top of 'the hatchway. This drum 1s driven by means of thehoisting motor .5 to effect the raising and lowering of the car andcounterweight. 6 designates an electromag- ,netic brake for bringing themotor, and therethis motor may top gui e shoes for the carare omitted inorder to simplify the drawing. Although, for convemence of illustration,the operatmg mechanism for raising and lowering the car elevator. motorand t e hoisting drum yet be directly connected to the holstlng drum.

A. governor rope 15 extends around a tensioning sheave 16 that has aweight 17 mounted 1n the guides 18 at the bottom of the hatchway; Fromthe sheave 16 the governor rope extends upwardly and has its endssecured toa hitch 20. This hitch is formed with hollow comcal endportions 19 into which the ends of the governor rope extend. The rope 1sretained within the hitch as by cementin materlal positioned within theconical and portions of the hitch and surrounding the rope. The hitch isformed with spherical trunnions on its lower portion. These trunnionsextend intocavities in jaw members 21 of a releaslng earner 22 carriedby a bracket secured to the car. The jaw members 21 are pivotallymounted on a bolt 9 extendlng through bracket 7 5 and are urged towardone another and against the trunnions by sprlng, pressure. These jawmembers act to cause the hitch to move with the car. A ro e 23 is alsosecured to the hitch and exten s is shown with gearin inserted between"the downwardly therefrom. The lower portion of the rope is wound arounda wedge clamp safety drum 24. The drum 24:, as illustrated in Figure 2,has a screw threaded connectionw1th oppositely threaded rods 25. Theserods are non-rotatably carried by bearing supports 26 forming a part ofthe safety plank 27 attached to the bottom of the car. The outer ends ofthe rpds 25 are secured t wedge members 28 positioned between rollers 30carried by clamping jaws 31. Clam ing jaws 31 are pivotally mounted onbol ts 32 secured to the safety plank 27. The clam ing portion of thejaws 31 face upon, but do not engage, the guide rails 7.

Referrin again-to Figure 1, the governor rope exten s upwardly from thehitch 20, between the jaws 42 and 44 and over the sheave 33 of acentrifugal governor 34. The

governor 34 is of the fiyball type wherein the links 36, sleeve 37,lever 38 and link 40 to the arm 41 of jaw 42. Jaw 42 is pivotallymounted on a shaft 43 and is geared to the coactlng jaw 44. Jaw 44 ispivotally mounted on a shaft 46 that is slidably carried 1n a guidesupport 47. A spring 48 surrounds a rod 49 connected to shaft 46 andurges aw 44 to- -ward jaw 42. These jaws are arranged to 51 and 52 of arope clamp 53 carried by the car and illustrated in Figures 3 to 5. Thejaws 51 and 52 of this clamp are of the same construction as the 'aws 42and 44 of the governor 34. Jaw 52 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 54.This shaft is slidably carried in guides 55 provided in ears 56 and 57formed on a base 58. A spring 59 surrounds a rod76 connected to shaft 54and urges jaw 52 toward jaw 51. Jaw 51 is pivotally mounted on a shaft60 extending through ears 56 and 57. Sleeves 61 and 62 are positioned onthe shaft 60 adjacent the jaw 51 and are surrounded by a torsion spring63. Spring 63 bears at one side against the ears 56 and 57 and at theother side against the jaw 51. This spring tends to cause the jaws 51and'52 to swing upwardly as viewed in Figure 1, and grip the governorrope. The u ward movement of these jaws is prevented y a latch 64. Latch64 is pivotally mounted on a in 65 extending through lugs 66 formed on te base 58. The hooked portion of this latch extends over a lug 67 formedon the jaw 51 and retains the jaw in its lower osition and away from theovernor rope. aw 52 is also retained in its ower position, inasmuch asit is geared to jaw 51. An arm 68 is formed on the latch 64 and isprovided with an aperture through which a rod 70 extends. Washers 71 areositioned on the rod 70 at opposite sides 0 the arm 68 and contact withthe curved surfaces of the arm. Nuts 72 retain one of these washersagainst one side of the arm 68, while a compression spring 73surrounding the rod 70 and bearing against the base 58 urges theremaining washer against the other side of the arm. V

The base 58 is secured by bolts 74 to the bracket 75, which in turn isattached by bolts 77 to the car frame 78. The base 58 is apertured at 80and the rod 70 extends through this aperture and is provided with a yoke81 at its u per end. The yoke 81 pivotally connects t is rod to a lever82. Lever 82 is pinned to a pivotal shaft 83 that extends throughbearing a ertures in the car frame 7.8. A lever 84 1s a so pinned onshaft 83 and extends upwardly therefrom. The upper end frame 78 by bolts92. The surface of one end of the collar 85 is undulated, havingpro'ections 96 and depressions 97. This collar t us constitutes a camand is arranged to ooact with a correspondin cam 95 having projee tions98 and depressions 100. Cam 95 is secured to shaft 88 by a pin 101. Acompression spring 102, having washers 103 at its ends, surrounds theshaft 88 and bears at one end against a leg 90 of the bracket 91 and atthe other end against the'collar 85. When the rope clamp 53 is indisengaged position, the projections 96 of the collar 85 rest in thedepressions 100 of the cam 95. The shaft 88 has a head 104 bearingagainst a washer 99 positioned at the side of a leg 90. The head 104serves to retain the shaft within the bracket 91. v

A hoisting rope equalizing bar 105 is positioned between the legs 90 ofthe bracket 91 and is keyed on the shaft 88. The ends of the bar 105 areprovided with circular bearing apertures .106 positioned .at equaldistances from the shaft 88. Pins 107 extend through these apertures andconnect the bar 105 to the yokes 108 of the hoisting ropes 3. Inoperation the car moving up and down the hatchway acts through bracket75 and releasing carrier 22 to'cause a corresponding movement of thegovernor rope 15. This ropeernor rope. In the event that the speed ofthe car exceeds this certain speed, the governor operates through link40 to overcome latch 50 and-effect the release of jaws 42 and 44. Thesejaws, turning about their pivotal shafts, fall under the influence ofgravity. and grip the governor rope with a pressure determined by theforce of spring 48. The motion of the governor rope is retarded causingthe hitch 20 to pull out of the releasing carrier 22. The car now movesdownwardly with respect to the hitch, causing the rope 23 to unwind fromthe wedge clamp safety drum 24 and effect the rotation of this drum. Therotation of drum 24 causes the This movement of these rods causes therollers 30, carried by the clamping jaws 31, to

ride up on the wedge members 28 and effect the gripping of the guiderail by the clampmemes of the wedge clamp safety brings the car quicklandsmoothly to rest.

In t e event of undue stretching or breaking of the hoisting cables thegovernor 34 does not operate to cause the appllcation of the safetybrake since the operation of the governor is dependent on the speed ofthe car. In such circumstances it is sometlmes desirable to cause theapplication of the safety brake and for this purpose the rope clamp 53is provided.

Assuming that one of a pair of hoisting ropes 3 stretches unduly orbreaks, the we ght of the car upon the other rope causes a swlnging ofthe equalizing bar 105. This swinging of the bar 105 causes the shaft 88to turn in the legs 90 of the bracket 91. As the cam 95 is secured tothe shaft 88 this cam also turns. Collar 85, abutting the cam 95, cannotturn owing to its connection with the lever 84. The projections 98 onthe cam 95 therefore ride'out of the depressions 97 in the collar 85 andcause this collar to slide along the shaft 88 against the pressure ofthe spring 102. This movement of the collar 85 acting through lever 84turns the shaft 83. Lever 82, pinned to shaft 83, is thus caused toswing upwardly, carrying the connected rod 7 0 upwardly. also. Rod 70acting through nuts 72 and washer 71 causes the arm 68 of the latch 64to swing upwardly, against the force of the spring 73. Latch 64 thusreleases lug 67 of the jaw 51 and permits the spring 63, to swing thejaws 51 and 52 upwardly. In the event that the car is moving downwardlythese jaws grip the upwardly moving governor rope with a pressuredetermlned by the with the, car, the rope 23 is caused to unwind rapidlyfrom the drum 24 and effect a quick application of the clamping jaws 31to the guide rails. Should the spring 59 possess the same strength asthe spring 48 of the governor 34, the clamping jaws 31 are applied tothe guide'rails in one half of the time taken by the governor to causetheir application. This is due to the rope clamp 53 causing the rope 23to unwind from the drum 24 with twice the rapidity attained when thegovernor 34 operates. The car is thus brought quicklyand smoothly torest by the use ofthe rope clamp 53. In the event that the car is movingupwardly at the time one of the hoisting.

ropes 3 stretches unduly or breaks the safety brake is appliedimmediately upon the car commencing its descent. 1

The rope clamp may be applied to a car irrespective of the number of itshoisting ropes. For example Figure 6 is a view-similar to Figure 5 andillustrates the application of the device where four hoisting ropes areused.- In this figure the shaft 110 similar to the shaft 88 has thehoisting rope equalizing bar 111 keyed thereon. To this equalizing bartwo hoisting ropes 112 are attached.

A sleeve 113 surroun s a portion of the shaft 110 and has a hoistin ropeequalizing bar 114 keyed thereon. o equalizing bar 114 two hoistingropes 115 are attached. The sleeve 113 extends through the bearing inthe 'leg'109 and has a collar 116 applied on its outer end as by screws117 threaded in the collar and extending into slots 118 in the sleeve.The surface of the ends of the collar 116 are undulated as in the case.of one end of the collar 85. Collar 116 constitutes a cam and coactswith a cam' 120 and a collar 122. Cam 120 is secured to the shaft 110 bya pin 121 extending through the cam and shaft. Collar 122 fits looselyon the sleeve 113 and is connected to lever 84 in the same manner thatcollar is connected to this lever. A spring 123 similar to the spring102 surrounds the sleeve113 and, acting through washers 119, bears atoneend against theleg 109 and at the other end against the collar 122.

In the event that one of the hoisting ropes 112 stretches unduly orbreaks thus causing the shaft 110 to be turned, the cam 120 turns withrespect to the collar 116. Collar 1.16 is prevented from turning owingto its splined connection with the sleeve 113 which is held stationaryby the hoisting ropes 115 acting through equalizing bar 114. The turningof cam 120 causes collar 116 to slide along the sleeve 113, the screws117 sliding in the slots 118. Collar 122 also moves along the sleeve 113 against the pressure ofthe spring 123 owing to the movement of theadjacent collar 116. Movement of collar 122 is transmitted to lever 84as in the case of the collar 85 and effects; the operation of the wedgeclamp owing to its shaft 110.being held stationary by the hoisting ropes112 acting through the equalizing bar 111. The turning of collar 116with respect to the cam 120 causes this collar to slide along thesleeve113. Adjoining collar 122 is thus moved along the sleeve 113 effectingthe movement of the lever 84 and the operation of the wedge clamp safetyto stop the car as before.

After the rope clamp has operated to gri the governor rope andapply thesafety, 1t may be released by forcing the jaws 51 and 52 downwardmanually. The latch 64 may then be snapped over the lug 67 of the jawsai safety ap liance to stop said body, and.

51 and the device is ready for anothenoperation. The safety is reset byrewinding the rope 23 vupon the drum24 by hand. The hitch 20 is thenreplaced in the releasing carrier 22 carried b the car. i

It is to be un erstood that this invention may be used with any form ofsafety brake. It ma also be applied to the counterweight as we as to thecar.

As manychanges could be made in the above construction and many aparently widely different embodiments of t is invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitin sense. I

at is claimed is 1. In an elevator system, a movable body in thehatchway hoistin ropes for said movable. body, a safety app iance forsaid movable body, roping connected with said safety appliance, meansadapted upon operation to gri said roping to cause the operation of saisafety appliance tostop said body, means actuated upon the breaking'of ahoisting rope to cause the operation of said gripping means, additionalmeans adapted upon operation to gri said ropin to cause the operation ofmeans actuate upon the speed of said movable body exceeding apredetermined value to cause the operation ofsaid additional grippingmeans.

2. In an elevator system, 'a movable body in the hatchway, hoistingropessupporting said movable body,'a safetyappliance carried by said movablebody, roping connected with said safety appliance, and means forgripping said ro ing, said ripping means being arranged to e actuatelfupon the breaking of another hoistin rope by one hoisting rope to effectthe operation of the safety app iance to cause the stopping of the body.

3. Means for causing the operation of a governor rope actuated safetyappliance comprising, coacting jaws carried by the car, sprin meanstending to cause said .jaws to gri t e governor rope, a latch forretaining sai jaws awa from theovernor rope, and means control ed by theoisting ropes for releasing said latch to cause the jaws to grip tocause the operation of the safety brake to effect the stopping of themovable body, and gripping means cooperating with the hoisting ropes andadapted to rip the governor rope upon the failure of a oisting rope andcause the operation of the safety brake to effect the stopping of themovable body.

In testimony vwhereof, I have signed myname to this specification.

FREDERICK HYMANS.

